Sanford Lake is a man-made reservoir located in Midland County, Michigan. It was formed by the damming of the Tittabawassee River near the town of Sanford, Michigan. In May 2020, the Sanford Dam, as well as the Edenville Dam to the north, failed following heavy rains. The resulting flooding threatened downtown Midland and surrounding areas.

The president’s action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to the local population and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures.

On Tuesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency, and called for help from the federal government. She called upon residents threatened by the floods to find secure places for shelter. Emergency workers were forced to go door to door, warning residents living near Edenville dam of the rising waters and urging them to evacuate.

“These devastating floods have forced thousands of people from their homes and caused a tremendous amount of damage to our infrastructure. I’m hopeful that the federal government will soon approve the full funding request to help Michigan families rebuild after this natural disaster.”

The governor had earlier said that the damage caused by Edenvile and Sanford dams was devastating, adding that the situation has been worsened by the global coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Whitmer revealed that the state will investigate the operators of the two dams. “I think like everyone, it was hard to believe we’re in the midst of a 100-year crisis, a global pandemic, and we’re also dealing with a flooding event that looks to be the worst in 500 years,” Whitmer added.

Edenville Dam is a damaged earthen embankment dam at the confluence of the Tittabawassee River and its tributary the Tobacco River in Mid Michigan, United States, forming Wixom Lake. In May 2020, following heavy rains, the Edenville Dam breached and the Sanford Dam downstream overflowed, which caused major flooding in Midland County, including the city of Midland.

The evacuated residents have been advised to take precautionary measures so as to curb the spread of the virus. “To go through this in the midst of a global pandemic is almost unthinkable. But we are here, and to the best of our ability we are going to navigate this together,” Whitmer said.

“So please, to the best of your ability, continue to wear a face covering when you go to a shelter or go stay with a friend or relative,” she added. Michigan has been a hotspot for COVID-19, and had been on a stay-at-home order. Michigan has reported more than 52,000 cases of coronavirus with 5,000 deaths. Most schools have been converted into shelters with social distance guidelines in place.

According to the National Inventory of Dams, both Sanford and Edenville dams were rated high hazards in 2018. Edenville dam was built in 1924, and has a hydropower project, which the federal regulators had rejected, claiming that it was vulnerable to flooding. Edenville Dam has been under federal scrutiny since 1999.